2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 pieces of chicken with bone (I like to use a combination of breast and thigh meat)
1 box of low sodium chicken stock
1 cup red wine (burgundy is good)
1 tsp. of Poultry seasoning
1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme (optional)
1 tsp. fresh chopped sage (optional)
1 cup onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup potato, cut into bite-size pieces
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced or garlic pressed
7-10 cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cups sweet peas (frozen)
1 cup pearl onions (frozen)
¼ cup flour
2 tbsp butter
½ to 1 cup half and half or heavy cream (depending on taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
......................................................................
De-skin chicken pieces. Salt and pepper chicken on all sides.
Heat olive oil in small stock pot on med-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides and remove from pot. Pour off olive oil and save. Return chicken to pot and add chicken stock, wine and herbs/spices. The stock and wine should cover the chicken so use more or less as needed. Bring to a boil. Lower heat; cover with lid slightly ajar and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Do not overcook as chicken will dry out.
Meanwhile, in a medium sized sauce pan, pour the saved olive oil into pot and reheat on med-high. Add onions and cook about 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and cook about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic and mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Pour 1-2 ladles of hot stock from stock pot into sautéed vegetable to loosen any bits on bottom of pan and stir a few times. Turn off heat and set aside until chicken is done.
Remove chicken from stock and set aside to cool. When cool, pick meat from bones and cut into bite-size pieces.
Add vegetable mixture to stock pot and bring back to boil. Lower heat and cook for about 30 minutes with no lid.
Add the tomato paste and dissolve into stock.
Add the peas and pearl onions and bring back to boil. Reduce heat and cook approximately 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make a dark roux to thicken stew. To do so, melt butter over medium high heat in sauce pan. Add flour to melted butter and stir continuously to cook and darken flour, about 5-7 minutes. Make certain that you are moving the wooden spoon in circular and figure-eight movements constantly and then scrape the bottom of the pan a few times during process. Lower heat to low and add a few ladles of hot stock, one ladle at time; stir continuously while adding stock to create a velvety dark roux for stew.
Add roux to stew and stir. Cook on low for approximately 5 minutes to thicken stew. Add half and half, and stir. Turn off heat. Add chicken pieces; allow stew to sit for about 5 minutes to warm the chicken, but do not allow it to cook any further. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with Burgundy wine, crusty French bread and green salad.
Serves 4
:hijack:: 
